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2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. DOUGLASS.

THEATRIGAL STAGE.

No. 399,318. Patented Mar. 12, 1889.

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J. DOUGLASS. THEATRIGAL STAGE.

No. 399,318. Patented Mar. 12, 1889.

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UNTTE STATES PATENT OEEicE.

JOHN DOUGLASS, OF LONDON, COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO HAL. S. TAYLOR, OF BROOKLYN, AND JAMES E. NFGENT, OF NEYV YORK, N. Y.

TH EATRICAL STAGE.

T aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN DOUGLASS, a subject of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, residing at London, in the county of Middlesex, England, have invented a new and useful Improvement in 'lheatrical Stages, of which the following is a specification.

My improvement is practically a double stage, and the invention relates to that class To of stages.

The objects I have in view are not only to provide for the speedy representation of successive acts or scenes, but also to provide a stage upon which real water may he used in I5 such quantity as to admit of the navigating of boats thereon, and yet one which can be readily transformed. into a stage upon which it is not desired to have any water at all without it being necessary to remove the water.

This ll accomplish by the peculiar umstruction of stage shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a sectional view of my improved stage, the plane of section running from the rear of the stage. Fig. 2 is a front cle 'ation of the same, showing the glass front hereinafter referred to. Fig. shows the temporary stage covering the entire tank and connected with the main stage by steps, which, with the accompanyingscenery, conceal t he glass front.

A the main stage.

B is a watertight tank placed upon the main stage A, having its front made of glass, as shown at C.

D is the removable flooring over the tank B, constituting a secondary stage, upon which the acting takes place when the water is not required.

E E are the supports for the secomlary stage D.

F is an incline to connect the secondary stage D with the main stage Awhen the tank B is covered.

The tank 13 may be of any dimensions, depending upon the size of the stage upon which it is to be placed and the scenes to be represented. Thus in playsin which a large navigable body of water is required the tank may extend into one or both of the wings, and

front of the stage next the audience to the 1 SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 399,318, dated March 12, 1889.

Application filed July 28, 1887. Serial N0. 24 5,477. (No model.)

thus afford a sulllcient water-snriace to admit of row-boats, sail-boats, steam-launches, racing-shells, rafts, or other floating appliances being used to convey to and fro before the au dience one or more of the persons assuming the characters in the play.

It will not always be necessary to use the incline l" in the front of the tank l as scenery adapted to any particular scene which is to beprm'liu-ed maybe placed in the foreground, and the two stages maybe connected by steps or in any other desired manner, as shown in Fig. 3. The incline 11 (shown in Fig. 1) does not reach to the extreme front edge of the main stage, but extends only so far from the front of the tank as to afford an easy ascent from themain stagoA t o t he secondary st agel).

In scenes wlu re it; is desired to use water in order that the illusion. may be the intake complete, 1 construct the front of the tank of glass, so that the alulience will look through or over the same, and thus, there being of course appropriate scenery in the foreground, the appearance of a tank is not presented to the eye.

In order that my improved stage may be used by traveling companies the tank may be constructed so that it shalllie Dorta-ble. This may he done in any of the known modes for making portable water-tight receptacles. The tank may also be constructed in compartments or sections, so that it can be adapted to stages of different sizes.

The stage I) and the incline F are not permanently fastened to the tank and main stage, respectively, but are separable and removable therefrom, and are supported by the horses E E, as shown in the drawings, or in any other suitable and convenient manner. The secondary stages can, therefore, be readily and quickly removed or replaced at pleasure, thereby enabling the speedy representation of successive scenes or acts, in some of which it: is desired to use water and in others not, without it: bein necessary to remove the water.

I am aware that tanks or pits of water have heretofore been used in circuses for the pur pose of giving aquatic exhibitions, as shown in United States Letters Patent No. 367,055,

dated July 26, 1887, where the tank or artificial pond of Water is in the central space inclosed by the auditorium. My improvement, however, is especially adapted for use in theaters where the auditorium is in front of or on one side of the stage, and the tankmay be of such size and shape as convenience and circumstances may suggest.

hat I claim as new, and desire to sewn reby Letters Patent, is

1. In a theater in which the auditorium is wholly on one side of the stage, the combination of the main stage of the theater with a water-tight tank provided with a temporary removable flooring adapted to form a secondary stage, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, with the main stage of a theater, of a navigable body of water ex tending into one or both of the wings, suitable means floating upon the water for conveying to and fro before the audience one or more of the persons assuming the characters in the play, and a temporaryremovable flooring covering part or all of the tank, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the main stage of a theater, of a water-tight tank, which latter occupies a portion of said stage and is adapted to be floored over, as described, and when so floored over forms with the unoccupied portion of said stage the acting-stage of the theater, substantially as describerh and for the purposes set forth.

4. The combination of the main stage of a theater with a portable tank capable of holding water and means whereby it may be temporarily floored over to form a second stage, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

5. The combination, with a main theatrical stage, of a Water-tight tank provided with a glass front and adapted to be placed upon the said main stage, and provided with a removable flooring adapted to form a second stage, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

0. The combination of a main theatrical stage, awater-tight tank adapted to be placed upon said main stage and temporarily floored over, so as to form, a second stage, and asupplemental stage connecting the said second stage with the main stage, substantially described, and for the purposes set forth.

7. In combination With the main stage of a theater, a portable Water-tight tank adapted to be placed upon the said main stage and provided with a removable flooring adapted to form a second stage, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

S.' The combination of the main stage A, tank B, flooring D, and supports E E, arranged substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

JOHN DOUGLASS.

\Vitnesscs:

THOMAS M. XVALLER, FRANCIS W. FRIGOUT. 

